Plant a diverse tree palette

Matthew Stephens
Senior Forester
New York City Parks and Recreation
Matthew.Stephens@parks.nyc.gov

Climate change equates to more/less rainfall, colder/warmer winters, and/or rising sea levels in areas near large coastal waters. A tree’s ability to tolerate these conditions will be critical to the long-term success of a city’s urban forest.

Resiliency varies by region and site type, so there’s no one-size-fits-all tree species. The goal of every public works program should be to plant as diverse an array as possible.

As long as a resilient species is chosen at planting time and maintained during the establishment period, each tree will thrive. The urban forest will become more resilient … one tree at a time.